Saturday, March 16, 2024
cool and innovative bad weather windshields, 1908 Packard Model 30
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10225691694018212&set=gm.1303712536876332&idorvanity=197491484165115
Friday, March 15, 2024
almost 100 journalists have been murdered by the Israeli military, clearly, concerned that the news would report facts from the front line of the Israel/Palestine war detrimental to the goodwill Israel had internationally when retaliating against the Hamas attack and kidnapping
An Israeli tank that killed a Reuters journalist and wounded six others in Lebanon last year fired two 120mm rounds at a group of “clearly identifiable journalists” in violation of international law, a UN investigation has found.
The investigation by the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil), seen by Reuters, said its personnel did not record any exchange of fire across the border between Israel and Lebanon for more than 40 minutes before the tank opened fire, killing Issam Abdallah, a 37-year-old video journalist.
Just like nothing was done when Israel destroyed the USS Liberty.
The USS Liberty incident was an attack on a United States Navy technical research ship (spy ship), an attack that would leave 34 Americans dead and 171 wounded, by Israeli aircraft and Israeli torpedo boats, on 8 June 1967, at about 2pm local time
The USS Liberty was engaged in peaceful activities in international waters. At the time of the attack, the U.S.S Liberty was flying the American flag, and its identification was clearly indicated in large white letters and numerals on its hull. It was broad daylight and the weather conditions were excellent.
The investigation by the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil), seen by Reuters, said its personnel did not record any exchange of fire across the border between Israel and Lebanon for more than 40 minutes before the tank opened fire, killing Issam Abdallah, a 37-year-old video journalist.
The UN (clearly toothless and unable to mount a military strength capable of enforcing international law) found Israel guilty of the war crime of firing on civilians
However, the UN isn't going to do a thing about it post conviction.
Just like nothing was done when Israel destroyed the USS Liberty.
The USS Liberty was an NSA spy ship and though the United States refused to back Israel in the 6 day war, it was eavesdropping on Israeli military communications during the war. According to Bamford, over the course of Israel’s remarkable territorial acquisition and military victory, it allegedly committed a war crime by slaughtering Egyptian prisoners of war in the city of El Arish in the northern Sinai.
Israeli forces jammed the Liberty's antennas and communication channels, took out the four . 50-caliber machine guns on board, and reportedly shot at life rafts and crew members as they attempted to evacuate the vessel.
The U.S.S. Liberty was peacefully engaged, posed no threat whatsoever to the torpedo boats or aircraft.
ABC’s Nightline interviewed survivors decades after the attack, the results of which never aired. Presumably because interested parties didn’t want unsavory information about Israel broadcast on mainstream American television
Over 50 years later, the NSA maintains the federal security classification of the details, and refuses to comment on, or release information about the murdered Americans.
The claim by Israel is that it's aircraft and torpedo boats mistook the American spy ship for an Egyptian freighter. No explanation for why it would attack a freighter....
The Liberty Veterans Association, an organization comprised of survivors of the 1967 attack, has called for a robust and transparent investigation into the incident for decades, to no avail.
If you'll indulge me, please, stand, remove your hats, and begin the slow clap,... a hero walks among us... a Michigan trucker was found guilty of setting Swift Transportation trailers on fire! A Detroit-area man set fires across the country in ‘rampage of retaliation’ against Swift, US attorney says!
Jurors on Tuesday found Viorel Pricop, 66, of Allen Park in metropolitan Detroit, guilty of six counts of arson of vehicle or property in interstate commerce after a 16-day trial. Investigators said Pricop, who was charged in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California in December 2022, set fire to at least 24 semi-trailers belonging to Swift Transportation in eight states after he was convicted in 2018 for transporting stolen cargo. That earlier case stemmed from an investigation conducted by Swift.
The California fires occurred in San Bernardino and Riverside counties from December 2021 to September 2022, prosecutors said. Pricop is accused of setting the other fires in New Mexico, Texas, Arizona, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas and Alabama, mostly along Interstates 10 and 40 from June 2020 to March 2022, charging documents say. Drivers were sometimes asleep in their trucks when the fires were set, but no injuries were reported. Pricop faces federal charges in other states.
Swift Transportation, based in Arizona, told investigators this number of fires had never occurred in company history, prompting company officials to hire fire investigation consultants to determine the cause. Investigators uncovered a pattern of similar methods used to light the trailers on fire, including where the fires began on the vehicles and the times they were set, prosecutors said.
Pricop “went on a rampage of retaliation” against Swift Transportation, which linked a 2015 theft to Pricop, said U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada. Swift utilized bait trailers containing tracking devices to catch thieves following a series of thefts. Company investigators traced stolen boxes to a storage facility in Michigan, leading to Pricop’s arrest.
He was convicted in 2018 for a tax offense and for transportation of stolen goods, which stemmed from the Swift investigation. His supervised release ended in June 2019, about a year before the Swift equipment fires began, prosecutors said.
OK, when you read the facts (that's why I included them) he's not such a good guy... but, at a glance the headlines looked like he was trying to save us from the Swift trucking collisions, crashes, smashes, flips, wrong ways, etc. (it's been years since that was a weekly post, but it was epic)
the Woodlites sure give it a 60s funky look!
with the bent over cab, the gold and pink color palate, and the dune buggy nose, the builder NAILED the "groovy" early 60s look of goofy car show only cars like the Roth ones
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=423419666700371&set=a.203057598736580
Hal Blaine even used a bunch of hot rods for his album cover
And the back of the album has a different photo. On the CD, the cover shot is only slightly different. How the hell the music companies in the CD era found more photos from this one photo shoot is a mystery
I just was reminded
there was an airplane parts scandal last year, parts made in China or something, but, they didn't come certified and legal to install in an FAA certified airplane, or something like that.
I wonder if Boeing was one of the recipients of those parts
Thursday, March 14, 2024
Gandini has died. The world of car design will be no damn good without him
the legend was responsible for a dizzying array of concept and production cars, including the Alfa Romeo Carabo and Montreal, Lancia Stratos Zero, Maserati Khamsin, Ferrari 308 GT4 Dino and Rainbow, Fiat X1/9, and of course a variety of Lamborghinis – Bravo, Miura, Marzal, Espada, Urraco, Diablo, and Countach.
My favorite is the Miura.
His rise to prominence began when he was hired by Nuccio Bertone in 1965, but only after his predecessor there, Giorgetto Giugiaro, had departed. A prodigiously talented duo, they’d been born within two weeks of each other in 1938, and would spark off one another thereafter in one of the great creative rivalries of our time.
He then diversified into motorbikes, helicopters, nightclubs, and factories. He was, he said, frustrated by the car industry’s lack of vision. And he became irascible if the conversation dwelt too long on his back catalogue. Old and frail he may have been, but it was the promise of the future that sustained him, not past glories.
“When you’re young the important thing is to work because it’s important to eat,” he told me. “I got to eat every day by designing cars, so in that sense I had some success. With regards to styling it’s a fact that you have to create emotion. Without it a car is useless.”
“When you’re young the important thing is to work because it’s important to eat,” he told me. “I got to eat every day by designing cars, so in that sense I had some success. With regards to styling it’s a fact that you have to create emotion. Without it a car is useless.”
Ski-Doo is the only snowmobile manufacturer to sell machines that meet the bullshit requirement of Yellowstone's eco-warrior jackasses
Ultimately, snowmobiles remained, but with new regulations in Yellowstone so that the WINTER ecosystem is less affected (though the summer is wide open for any and every variation of interaction and frequently maxes out the parking and camping areas)
So the national park service only allows four-stroke snowmobile engines. Only Ski-Doo makes them, so far
Ski-Doo’s four-stroke engine, is efficient and emits less pollution than the two-stroke engines offered in other snow machines. The company’s advanced combustion efficiency engines are designed with a square bore and stroke in a spherical combustion chamber and tuned to use less fuel to create power. .
Of the two Ski-Doo engine configurations allowed at Yellowstone, the 600 ACE is the most fuel efficient with a rating of 28 miles per gallon at 60 horsepower, while the 900 ACE is good for 90 horsepower and gets 21.8 miles per gallon.
Ski-Doo’s four-stroke engine, is efficient and emits less pollution than the two-stroke engines offered in other snow machines. The company’s advanced combustion efficiency engines are designed with a square bore and stroke in a spherical combustion chamber and tuned to use less fuel to create power. .
Of the two Ski-Doo engine configurations allowed at Yellowstone, the 600 ACE is the most fuel efficient with a rating of 28 miles per gallon at 60 horsepower, while the 900 ACE is good for 90 horsepower and gets 21.8 miles per gallon.
A new Ski-Doo costs around 12,000 dollars on average across their line of machines https://ski-doo.brp.com/us/en/models.html not including the 4-8 thousand dollar kids machines
This Oklahoma high school field had turf less than a year old! Any asshole that destroys a high school football field should be arrested, this woman WAS caught, and arrested, but she refused to say why she stole the truck and committed this crime.
This incident began when a woman pulled into a Ford dealership, parking next to the Ford Super Duty, then proceeded to get into the pickup and drive off, according to Police Chief Dexter Scott.
“ She got into the brand new truck, stole the truck, and left the dealership where she headed toward Muskogee,” Scott said.
The thief then proceeded to run into a fence at nearby Sequoyah High School, driving directly onto the football field and ripping off some donuts. This only went on for a few minutes before the woman departed and led authorities on a bit of a chase.
Snoopy and the gang are having a soap box derby!
Lol, apparently the soapbox racers are a very secretly built bunch of carts, so Charlie and Franklin are rolling theirs toward the course masked by bushes, and Snoopy and Woodstock are building one behind the sheet
Snoopy Presents: Welcome Home, Franklin is now streaming on Apple TV+
Baldwin Motion made 3 1969 Chevelles
they put 1969 Mach 1 Mustang mirrors on them
But 18 yr old Roberto Schneider, in 1968, had a rich Grandpa who owned the largest bank in Mexico.
A friend with a 435-horse Corvette suggested that a Baldwin-Motion Camaro, with its outrageous guarantee, might be the way to go.
In late 1968, he arrived in Long Island, New York, and after a test-drive, Roberto was convinced that he would need a pair of cars—a four-speed Camaro for his street-racing exploits, and an automatic-equipped Chevelle to use as a tow car.
In late 1968, he arrived in Long Island, New York, and after a test-drive, Roberto was convinced that he would need a pair of cars—a four-speed Camaro for his street-racing exploits, and an automatic-equipped Chevelle to use as a tow car.
Martyn Schorr, editor of Hi-Performance Cars magazine, called the pair "one of the most significant muscle car purchases in Baldwin-Motion history," a fact.
The order for the pair came to an eye-watering $16,692.86 in 1968 dollars,
https://www.hemmings.com/stories/2022/06/09/one-of-just-three-69-baldwin-motion-phase-iii-chevelles-built-and-the-only-one-to-lug-a-camaro-around-behind-it
https://www.hemmings.com/stories/2022/06/09/one-of-just-three-69-baldwin-motion-phase-iii-chevelles-built-and-the-only-one-to-lug-a-camaro-around-behind-it
A standing ovation and tip of the hat to the bikers who welcome home the newly discovered remains of WW2, Korea, and Vietnam vets: Rolling Thunder
Veterans gathered at the Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport to welcome home a fallen brother, and after the remains were brought to the airport, veterans followed the transportation of the remains on motorcycles all the way to Waynesville, North Carolina.
While many members of Rolling Thunder are veterans and many ride motorcycles, neither qualification is a prerequisite. All are united in the cause to bring full accountability for the Prisoners Of War-Missing In Action (POW/MIA) of all wars, reminding the government, the media and the public by our watchwords:
“We Will Not Forget.”Wednesday, March 13, 2024
when you think more about - or learn more about - what you're seeing, than what meets the eye... it's stunning. Plus, this example is history.
Frankly, it would be a far more enriched world if people wrote their biography every decade... then put those volumes together, and if they didn't mind sharing that info, let people read it.
I've posted a LOT of history on this blog, and more on my Facebook page, and found a ton when doing my family tree... its the STORIES that make this world interesting. That's why learning history in public school sucks, as you only learn the facts and dates needed to pass the tests, but learning history as an adult is incredible, because you don't have to retain any of it, just enjoy the stories.
finally cops are using something effective to stop car chases.... the Grappler. Invented a decade ago, first used by law enforcement in 2018. Chasing car thieves isn't a good idea, it's rarely uneventful, often causes crashes, etc
Grappler's inventor, Leonard Stock. Stock, who lives in Peoria, was a roofer for three decades before coming up with the idea, in a dream, as a way to safely end police pursuits.
https://www.fox10phoenix.com/news/grappler-arizona-made-device-seeing-more-use-by-law-enforcement
Thanks to George for tipping me off to Ron Fournier models of Kurtis Kraft Indy cars and midgets
His career began with Holman and Moody in 1964, and since that time racing greats such as Roger Penske, A.J. Foyt, Kar Kraft and Bob Sharp Racing have all utilized Ron's unique skills to transform metal into various components for their championship-winning race cars. General Motors, Ford and Chrysler have also contracted for his fabrication and training services.
In the 1970s, Ron founded Race Craft, which developed a reputation as one of the finest metal fabrication shops in the U.S. Ron and his wife, Sue, have written two books now considered essential references in the automotive metal work field: Metal Fabricator's Handbook and Sheet Metal Handbook.
In the 1990s he wasa making the midgets, in quantities of 250, each numbered.
http://www.coachbuilt.com/des/f/fournier/fournier.htm
It's been a while since the last time I came across a bully with a badge story. Hell, I thought maybe cops had turned over a new leaf. Nope. They just needed time to get caught on camera.
Video shows an off-duty Connecticut cop punching a driver because the man honked at him for not turning at a red light.
Dashcam footage from Thomas Brocuglio’s company van caught Meriden Police Department Corporal Allen Ganter stopped at a red light in Rocky Hill in December, NBC Connecticut reported.
Brocuglio, 37, whose dog was riding shotgun with him, pulled up behind the off-duty officer, waiting for him to make a right turn on red.
Brocuglio, 37, whose dog was riding shotgun with him, pulled up behind the off-duty officer, waiting for him to make a right turn on red.
“You can’t take a right on red here, you assh—e,” the 20-year veteran of the Meriden Police Department shouts.
Brocuglio points out that the sign says “Stop here on red” and not “No turn on red” before accusing Ganter of being on his phone and not paying attention to traffic.
Ganter is then seen reaching into Brocuglio’s car and punching him in the side of the face, video obtained by the outlet shows.
“You are going to get arrested for assaulting a civilian,” Brocuglio shouts at him as Ganter retreats to his truck.
Brocuglio points out that the sign says “Stop here on red” and not “No turn on red” before accusing Ganter of being on his phone and not paying attention to traffic.
Ganter is then seen reaching into Brocuglio’s car and punching him in the side of the face, video obtained by the outlet shows.
“You are going to get arrested for assaulting a civilian,” Brocuglio shouts at him as Ganter retreats to his truck.
He got 5 days suspension.... cops don't get the same "justice for all and equal treatment under the law" as the rest of us do
He wasn't worried about a thing when he was questioned by other police and gave his statement. The smug shithead knew he had nothing to worry about, he already knew the police union had his back.
When he punched the guy, he did so knowing cops can get away with nearly anything that doesn't get politicians involved. Even the murderer of George Floyd wasn't arrested until the media got ahold of the story and refused to let it go.
I saw one of these vintage cold air car units the other day... and realized, I have no idea how they work, or how old they are
A car swamp cooler, typically hangs on the passenger window, was filled with cold water (colder the better) and balsa wood shavings in a wire cage.
A large funnel shaped opening in the front of the cooler directs hot air to enter the cooler, (and by narrowing the aperture, increases the speed of the incoming air I suppose) and the hot air works on evaporating the water, resulting in cooler air blown into the car’s interior. The wood shavings help retain water and create better air flow.
As auto technology had begun to progress, an innovative company called Thermador got the idea for a car cooler. Thermador Car Cooler was invented in the 1930s, gaining popularity in the west coast. Car coolers became widely available in auto supply stores during their peak in the 1950s.
Thermador Car Cooler was one of the first auto air cooling devices. The hole on the top right is where car owners would pour cold water into the Thermador. On the inside of the car there is a rope they would pull to dampen a sponge with the cold water.
Thermador Car Cooler was one of the first auto air cooling devices. The hole on the top right is where car owners would pour cold water into the Thermador. On the inside of the car there is a rope they would pull to dampen a sponge with the cold water.
Then, once the car was moving, air would travel through the front and be streamed into the car. Periodically, as the sponge dried, the car owner would need to pull the rope to re-saturate the sponge which helps cool the air coming in.
Car coolers were made by Classic Aire, Star Manufacturing, and Thermador, and became a hit in the 1930s and were popular until the 60s
If you have a newish GM car, with Onstar, be on notice, it's probably sharing your driving stats with your insurance company, and that might result in your insurance getting more expensive
"Upon consent and enrollment in OnStar Smart Driver, depending on vehicle capability, the vehicle will collect specific driving behavior data, including hard braking events, hard acceleration events, speeds over 80 miles per hour, average speed, late-night driving, when a trip occurs and the number of miles driven."
In recent years, insurance companies have offered incentives to people who install dongles in their cars or download smartphone apps that monitor their driving, including how much they drive, how fast they take corners, how hard they hit the brakes and whether they speed.
Car companies are collecting information directly from internet-connected vehicles for use by the insurance industry.
Modern cars are internet-enabled, allowing access to services like navigation, roadside assistance and car apps that drivers can connect to their vehicles to locate them or unlock them remotely. In recent years, automakers, including G.M., Honda, Kia and Hyundai, have started offering optional features in their connected-car apps that rate people’s driving.
After LexisNexis and Verisk get data from consumers’ cars, they sell information about how people are driving to insurance companies. To access it, the insurance companies must get consent from the drivers — say, when they go out shopping for car insurance and sign off on boilerplate language that gives insurance companies the right to pull third-party reports. (Insurance companies commonly ask for access to a consumer’s credit or risk reports, though they are barred from doing so in California, Massachusetts, Michigan and Hawaii.)
An employee familiar with G.M.’s Smart Driver said the company’s annual revenue from the program is in the low millions of dollars.
An employee familiar with G.M.’s Smart Driver said the company’s annual revenue from the program is in the low millions of dollars.
Last month, Senator Edward Markey of Massachusetts urged the Federal Trade Commission to investigate.
“The ‘internet of things’ is really intruding into the lives of all Americans,” Senator Markey said in an interview. “If there is now a collusion between automakers and insurance companies using data collected from an unknowing car owner that then raises their insurance rates, that’s, from my perspective, a potential per se violation of Section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act.”
“The ‘internet of things’ is really intruding into the lives of all Americans,” Senator Markey said in an interview. “If there is now a collusion between automakers and insurance companies using data collected from an unknowing car owner that then raises their insurance rates, that’s, from my perspective, a potential per se violation of Section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act.”
Omri Ben-Shahar, a law professor at the University of Chicago, said by “stealth enrollment” in programs with “surprising and potentially injurious” data collection there is no public safety benefit if people don’t know that how they drive will affect how much they pay for insurance.
Tuesday, March 12, 2024
the corpse of Boeing whistleblower John Barnett, who raised alarm over plane quality, was found shot through the head, on Saturday, in his car in a hotel parking lot, the day after giving his testimony
Barnett filed a whistleblower complaint against Boeing in early 2017; his case against the company was heading toward a trial this June, his family said.
Barnett, 62, made international headlines in April of 2019 when he and other former Boeing employees spoke to The New York Times about what he called shoddy manufacturing problems at Boeing. Barnett accused the company of adopting a culture that prioritized raw numbers and profits over quality — and by extension, passenger safety.
"As a quality manager at Boeing, you're the last line of defense before a defect makes it out to the flying public," Barnett told the newspaper. "And I haven't seen a plane out of Charleston yet that I'd put my name on saying it's safe and airworthy."
Barnett, 62, made international headlines in April of 2019 when he and other former Boeing employees spoke to The New York Times about what he called shoddy manufacturing problems at Boeing. Barnett accused the company of adopting a culture that prioritized raw numbers and profits over quality — and by extension, passenger safety.
"As a quality manager at Boeing, you're the last line of defense before a defect makes it out to the flying public," Barnett told the newspaper. "And I haven't seen a plane out of Charleston yet that I'd put my name on saying it's safe and airworthy."
Ford Transit Connect vans produced in Turkey prior to 2013 were imported by Ford, knowing they were deliberately breaking the import rules. They got caught, and now will be fined 365 million, likely 10 times, or more, than any profit they ever got from the vans.
According to the federal agency, Ford has agreed to pay this hefty fine to “resolve allegations that it violated the Tariff Act of 1930 by misclassifying and understating the value of hundreds of thousands of its Transit Connect vehicles.” The issue stems from the fact that Ford Transit Connect vehicles imported into the U.S. between 2009-2013 were fitted with “sham rear seats and other temporary features to make the vans appear to be passenger vehicles,” according to the DOJ.
At the time, the U.S. levied a 25 percent duty rate on cargo vehicles, but by classifying these Ford Transit Connect models as passenger vans, the automaker only had to pay a duty rate of 2.5 percent. After declaring those models as passenger vehicles and clearing customs, each unit was then “immediately stripped of its rear seats and returned to its original identity as a two-seat cargo van.”
They probably shipped all the fake seats back to Turkey, and cut down on the number of fake seats they'd need, and need to get rid of eventually